Ubisoft is suing Apple and Google over “carbon copy” of Rainbow Six Siege

Ubisoft has filed a lawsuit against Google and Apple regarding a smartphone title it describes as a “carbon copy” of the hugely popular Rainbow Six Siege. 

The complaint was filed on May 15th in Los Angeles, and takes issue with a game known as Area F2 on iOS and Android devices. Ubisoft claims it infringes upon the copyright of Rainbow Six Siege, but the companies have yet to remove it from their respective digital marketplaces. 

As reported by Bloomberg, Ubisoft states the similarities between both titles are so great they cannot “seriously be disputed” and “Ubisoft’s competitors are constantly looking for ways to piggyback on R6S’s popularity and to capture the attention, and money, of R6S players”.

Related: Project xCloud 

Siege adopts a rather generic military aesthetic, but when compared against Area F2 the differences are undeniable, and it’s no surprise a copycat is trying to ape the success of such a massive shooter. Unfortunately for them, Ubisoft was very quick to notice. 

“R6S is among the most popular competitive multiplayer games in the world, and is among Ubisoft’s most valuable intellectual properties, Ubisoft said. “Virtually every aspect of AF2 is copied from R6S, from the operator selection screen to the final scoring screen, and everything in between.”

First released for PS4, Xbox One and PC back in December 2015, Rainbow Six Siege has grown into one of the world’s biggest and most ambitious shooter experiences. It has seen an abundance of operators, maps and modes added over the course of its lifespan, which is showing no signs of slowing in the coming years.

Ubisoft has already confirmed it will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X, ensuring that the next generation adopts the franchise and many of its players come along for the ride. Further operators and features are set to arrive throughout 2020, and we imagine Ubisoft doesn’t want a clone like Area F2 muddying the waters.